A court has blessed a trust’s settlement with Ernst & Young that resolves a negligence case linked to a decade-long tax dispute that went to the High Court, rejecting an objection to the deal and saying it was “time this matter was brought to a conclusion”.
The NSW government and the former developer of a stalled $2 billion Central Barangaroo development project are headed for a discovery showdown in their $270 million stoush, with both sides fighting to protect what they say are privileged communications.
A judge has cautioned two law firms running competing shareholder class actions over last October’s cyber attack on Medibank that they must keep their focus on the best interests of clients and group members, saying lawyers can lose sight of that duty when arguing for their case.
A court has imposed a $40 million penalty on Insurance Australia Limited in a case by the corporate regulator alleging NRMA customers were not paid $60 million in promised loyalty discounts.
A Shine Lawyers class action over norovirus outbreaks on Carnival’s Sun Princess cruise ship has called an attempt to see documents outlining its strategy for the case “abusive” and “bizarre”, as the cruise operator continues its fight to have the suit struck out.
A judge has rejected TPG-owned Anew Climate’s bid for default judgment against an Australian company that allegedly impersonated a US carbon offset developer in order to unlawfully receive payments under a $1 billion deal, saying “it’s not hard” to make the application under the correct rule.
Ex-Network Ten political editor Peter van Onselen has told a judge he was worried when he signed a disputed non-disparagement agreement that the broadcaster would “hang him out to dry” in a sex discrimination lawsuit by a former reporter.
Medibank is now facing five class actions over last October’s cyber attack that left exposed the personal data of 9.7 million customers, this one by shareholders of the private health insurer.
The office of the special investigator wants access to evidence in Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case, a court has heard, while Fairfax says it needs to see invoices from Herbert Smith Freehills to the soldier’s financial backer, Seven chairman Kerry Stokes, in its bid for costs.
As the knives come out in a contest between four law firms battling to run an $80 million class action against Star Entertainment, a court-appointed barrister has named his favourites – one of which has proposed a contingency fee of just 14 per cent.